Barclays Global Investors (BGI) has ambitious plans to double the contribution it makes to the profits of its parent, Barclays.

The asset manager revealed last week that its assets had jumped to £573bn (€825bn) by the end of September, a rise of £30bn in three months, while its pre-tax profits in the half year to June 30 were £91m, equivalent to almost 5% of the group's total.